The video: Christopher Young, a Democratic candidate for mayor in Providence, RI, punctuated his closing statement in a televised debate this week by proposing to Kara Russo, his longtime girlfriend and campaign manager. From her seat in the audience, Russo, who is running for Congress and lieutenant governor as a Republican, shouted her acceptance. Young, beaming, placed a small box with an engagement ring on top of his podium. But, after television viewers tuned out and an online portion of the debate started, Young said it was a "conditional engagement" contingent on his election as mayor.
The reaction: Politically, Young may be nothing but a "perennial gadfly candidate," says Ted Nesi at WPRI.com, but his romantic proposal definitely "stole the show." Young's history of running and losing is noteworthy here, says Christine Mathias at Salon. If this really is a "conditional engagement," Russo shouldn't call the caterer just yet. Watch Young's proposal below: